Fierce Shoes and Tarsiers

My excitement at work soon dimmed when I found out Bridget was home sick. It was my off day for buying, but an AGOL must adapt to unexpected events. I wouldn't have time for follow-ups; I would be too busy.

The group that would test my patience today was Accounts Payable. I especially loved the list of purchase orders I was requested to make code changes on throughout the day. Forwarded my boss an e-mail later asking him if these e-mails were love notes or flame mail from A/P. I realized belatedly that he had left for the day so I would not get a reply.

I heard crickets during lunch. My lunch buddies were nowhere to be found. It was a rare moment that I was able to read a magazine during lunch. Mental bubblegum. A vibrant Michelle with her equally vibrant punky hair came in towards the end. She always wears the most interesting shoes. Other than style, she wears them for added height to her petite frame.

Can you dig Michelle's shoes? Do not tick this woman off!


I forgot to note that I had received an update on my office friend Lisa who made the Thai Peanut Chicken dish two nights ago. Not only was it delicious, but her husband complimented her multiple times on how it was the best meal she has cooked in a long time! He comes from a family of chefs so my guess is his palate was awakened with the complex flavors. My tips helped and Lisa was very happy.

Yesterday, I was quizzed on the mascara I have been recommending. My friend Nikki is off to Sephora to get the same kind. And today, I was asked about another thing. I don't now how I end up as the go-to girl for things. Maybe I appear smarter and more reliable? AGOL Reports, Your Up-to-the-Minute Goddess Guide to Everyday Items. It could happen.

On PBS tonight was a show about a special primate that lives in the Philippines called the tarsier. It is a nocturnal mammal with large, round glistening eyes and the species has been around for 45 million years. The tarsiers used to be captured for pets and are now protected by the government under the Philippine Tarsier Foundation. They are peculiarly cute animals. Of course, seeing the Philippines on film always warms me.

Fierce Shoes and Tarsiers

Awesome Possum

Driving to work in a good mood is a great start to the day. I came into gloomy or indifferent at the office. Maybe they changed the brand of coffee?

T&J and me met our great friend Dianne (aka Possum) at TooJay's at International Plaza. I always get a positive charge every time I see her. A happy reunion with her for T&J, too.

Dianne's nickname from me is Possum because of us watching Dame Edna live twice. We are absolutely mad for Dame Edna. She's had that the name for several years. I have this habit of giving people nicknames and it sticking with everyone else.

This picture was taken at lunch today. I may have been sitting a little too close. Check out her new Vera Wang brand eyewear. Hello Possum!



The rest of the afternoon could be described with two words ad nauseam. Sigh.

Started to IM with Yummy before leaving work, but we experienced technical difficulties. He'd been trying to log on, but couldn't until multiple tries. Finally settled into a conversation and it fried on my end. Texted him about it to explain. Received one text back before he did the old school way and dialed his phone so we could talk. Sometimes you just need two tin cans and a long string, ya know?

The evening got on quietly. Cabal received extra quality time which he reveled in. It's almost strangely obscene. I had some low calorie cereal with fat-free milk to counteract the Reuben sandwich made with pastrami I had at lunch. They served the sandwich with the Thousand Island dressing on the side which made the fat/calorie watching easier. Am I just deluding myself? Please don't tell me.

Oh, almost forgot -- Yummy taught me something new today. I didn't know that fish fingers were real. They grow about three inches already breaded. Ha!

Awesome Possum

Tackling Tuesday

Today was all about trying to get stuff done. If only other people would cooperate. Sometimes that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Tawny and I were held hostage by a three-hour conference call from 2pm to 5pm. I caved and answered my bladder's call halfway, but refrained from making a detour to get more hot tea. Good thing I had water to wash down my diet snack bar. Taunted Tawny via IM during most of the call. Please don't feel sorry for her. She gives as good as she gets.

Gave her a ride home this evening before I drove merrily home, too. Cabal wasn't at his usual post. I often catch him watching me come around the building through the vertical blinds like a warden waiting for its charge. Having me home for three days in a row played with his schedule.

I reheated some more Chinese food while I prepared his dinner. He still finishes before I do. Pretty Boy Dog, there is no one else here. It is all yours! He doesn't remember that bit. All he remembers is that he hasn't eaten in 12 hours.

Heart pictures or items are part of my decor/theme. It's not saturated in every corner or anything, but one does notice. Tawny and Jeff visited IKEA in Hotlanta a few months ago and picked this up for me. Silicone heart-shaped ice tray! Isn't it just sweet?

You can put cranberry, orange, grape or watermelon juice in it if you want. I decided to jazz up my diet Dr. Pepper tonight with cool cubes. Yes, the excitement factor has been slow on my side of Trampa.



I thought about my office friend Lisa tonight and wondered how her Thai peanut chicken dinner came out. She visited my desk today and said she thought about me in the Asian section of the grocery store. Lisa picked up a Thai peanut sauce mix that had a recipe in the back and bought the ingredients.

We discussed her plans and I gave her a few tips to ensure her dinner would be a success. She admits she is not a cook, but she gives it her best. By allowing herself to explore other ethnic dishes, she expands her family's menu.

Having lunch with Possum (aka Dianne) tomorrow. Poor thing was layed off from her job. Luckily, she received a nice package and her husband has a job while she finds another one. She is such a positive force that I don't fear her looking for a job long.

What she doesn't know (unless she reads this) is that Tawny and Jeff are crashing the lunch date. They miss her terribly and haven't seen her since my Christmas party in mid-December. It is sure to be a great time!

Tackling Tuesday

Groovin' Along

The past two days have been a nice breeze.

I talked to Yummy early yesterday morning my time before his second day of art seeing with a good friend. Five loads of laundry made it through after. I think I separate too many things, but I am too prissy not to.

In the afternoon, I got my nails done before I picked up Chinese food from my favorite takeout place. Had a snack of it before I talked to Yummy again and hear about his art adventures. It's been rainy there. I thought it was great excuse to get out.

Ironically, I do not remember Memorial Day if it weren't on our calendar of work holidays. Yummy was off today as a bank holiday, too. The UK has one every time I turn around. It is just unfair!

My aunt called me to confirm and extend my Nan-sitting time coming up. She and my uncle are going on a double-date with old neighbors who have become good friends. How could I say no to them having dinner before the show at the Performing Arts Center? Of course, they could go. Nan and I will just have to find ways to occupy ourselves.

I called maintenance today to take care of a drip inside my refrigerator which they promptly addressed. Took Cabal out after and almost had a disaster with someone's loose dumb puppy. It was sleek black and cute, but not when it is scampering towards me and Cujo.

Cabal was remarkably calm while I protected his body with my legs and covered his face with my hands. I yelled at the owner to get his dog in a leash. His reply was that his dog was nice. Well, buttwipe, mine isn't! Grrr.

My DVD player doesn't seem to be working even after my pseudo fixes so I will have to get a new one soon. No movies for Sarah at all this weekend. Without the movies, I opened my brand new sewing machine. I am determined to sew something fun soon; I searched my personal archives for projects.

Talked to Yummy again and heard how his friends liked my thank you gifts for them. He sounded like he had a good time, but was fizzling fast during our conversation. I don't think he was feeling well. Not sure if he was just feeling blue. I wrote him a note to read in the morning, hoping to bring sunshine to him. Spent the rest of the evening watching the boob tube.

Groovin' Along

A Good Start

The de-cluttering of my art room received a good start today. Taking some of it out changed the energy by letting it have breathing room. I felt relieved!

I became easily distracted by other chores when I got back from a quick car ride around town. Rushing is not in my energy field this weekend. I have three days to sort it all out. Sometimes it is a matter of setting accomplishable mini goals for yourself that do not require a sense of immediacy. It makes you feel more in control by tackling things in smaller bites. Yup, I am nibbling.

Readied for my outing tonight by a few hours so I would have time to talk to Yummy properly. He missed me this morning and I was trying to catch up with him. He was having a long dinner at a friend's house and didn't get online until much later. It was a quick chat and it was my turn to go out with friends.

Tawny and Jeff picked me up a little after 6pm to make our way for a meet-up at the art studio in Ybor. I was able to see the new pottery wheel they and their friend Rosemary from the art studio just invested in. It was near-new and half the price which makes their acquisition of tools for their ultimate project much easier on the pockets. Their new glass saw was on display, too.

Kathy is out of town having a girly weekend with her sister so her boyfriend Jamie met us there and we walked to the pizza bar up a couple of blocks. A former co-worker whom I haven't seen in five years came with his wife to the bar. She remembers me from organizing an outing for our IT Department at the Florida Aquarium. I almost forgot about that! About four dozen of us consisting of employees, spouses and kids showed up for a fun outing with an elegant buffet lunch and treat bags from the aquarium giftshop for the kids. That was ages ago...

T&J's friend Rosemary and her husband met us for pizza and beer. They conveniently live in a condo in the city; it was very easy for them to walk over. Rosemary's husband Andrew is English. She met him in New York and then they lived in England for 20 years before coming back to America. They visit every year, sometimes multiple times. We had a great chat about my own findings during my UK trip.

The one question that puzzled me came from Andrew. He asked me if I thought the British were upbeat. Upbeat? He said that even 10 years ago he recalls people's attitudes were a bit miserable unlike the US where we will try anything and give it our best shot. I didn't encounter any misery and people seemed genuinely nice. My personal connections with the Brits in restaurants and shops were favorable. Have to ask Yummy about that upbeat thing.

A band from the studio was supposed to play but they took too long to set up. We gave up on them and visited a metaphysical store across the pizza joint where things were on sale. I came out with a set of runes at a great price. I tried to avoid buying it, but it was apparently meant to be.

Our menagerie walked back to the studio where the uninitiated received a complete tour of the old cigar factory by Jeff. I hung out with Tawny and Rosemary in the studio. The tour group came back and we dispersed our separate ways. It was a little after midnight by the time T&J dropped me off.

A Good Start

Name That Tune

While the boss is away, the girls...are not at play. Bridget had built up exhaustion from roller derby practice during the weeknights and I was quietly restless. I was the buyer for today so I had an activity while she spent the day finding ways to combat yawning in between paperwork and fending off an unwanted office admirer.

During the day, Tawny and I tortured each other with vintage TV themes and shows. That is never pretty because it forces you to admit some things from your childhood. You might need therapy.

We sang this song in 6th grade chorus...We were rockin!

For Tawny...Sorry about your childhood. Ha!

Hooked On This Tune...for TWO DAYS now and singing in the corridors with Tawny. Ugh.

I have the complete Season One on DVD. Might even go home and use aluminum foil for bracelets.

My gals sang this song with me in the lunchroom the other day. It jes ain't Ahmehrkn if ya down't know this sawng.

Sometime in the afternoon, people in the building began to leave for the long weekend. I sent Bridget home at 4pm so she could get to sleep much sooner. It was quiet by 4:30pm. Crickets were making themselves heard!

Tawny asked me for a ride home which gave me a better excuse to cut out a little after 5pm. We stopped for some light grocery shopping. I couldn't go home without more food and treats for my Pretty Boy Dog. Dropped Tawny off right after and confirmed pick-up time for pizza in Ybor with old friends tomorrow night.

Simplicity in what you eat can be very rewarding. I cut up the last pear I had along with some white cheddar and included several circles of Carr's crackers. Dinner was fabulous in five minutes and I didn't have to cook a thing.

I thought about putting one of the discount DVDs I just bought like Down with Love, the classic White Palace and a new one from the creator of Bend It Like Beckam called The Mistress of Spices. No epics. Not in the mood for soaring storylines or special effects. My attention span just wasn't up to any of it I guess so I am going to sleep early.

....crickets.

Name That Tune

Drawing Board

Amazed at how you can be at work less than an hour and have a few people work your nerve already. A nice cup of hot tea afterwards help get me back on even keel.

Work is work with reports and GL coding. Heard some grumblings yesterday about my group being moved from Building 1 to Building 2 of 3. It is essentially the same building and maybe a quarter mile down the road. Our whole finance department being in the same building will be a better environment. We don't have to bicker in separate buildings. Nipping things in the bud will be much quicker.

I had an impromptu mini presentation for my boss that involved me drawing diagrams on the white board...Ooh, pretty marker colors! Sometimes people need a picture. I realized recently that he is a visual learner and does better with seeing text and relational arrows. Ooh, more pretty marker colors!

IMed with Yummy this afternoon. He was in a good mood especially after making sure his laptop was still working and he was able to complete a phase of one of his projects. Yay for Yummy!

I caved in on my craving for a proper taco at dinner. Now I must drink lots of water for the sodium and eat Tums for the grease that flavored the filling. Wish me luck that I don't feel ill overnight...

On a spontaneous move, I called my dad and stepmother. Dad had been busy building walls around the garden area, filling it with dirt and tamping it down, and mulching around. They have some land so it has been quite the "Honey-Do" project. It is no chore for him for he loves the outdoors. My stepmother has been helping him and recovering remarkably well from having her right leg in a cast. She fell several weeks ago from a misstep in the garage.

Kept reminding myself that it is a three-day weekend with observance of Memorial Day on Monday. I am very much looking forward to spring cleaning and re-feng shuing my apartment. I can barely get to my drafting table in my spare room not to mention other art and crafts supplies. The clutter must go so that I may have a cleaner space to think. My creativity needs a jumpstart like a Model T needing a hand crank.

Drawing Board

Raise Some 'Cane

It is Hurricane Preparedness Week according to NOAA. June 1st is the designated start of hurricane season and thanks to La Niña, we’re in for quite the weather mambo. Personally, I'd rather drink a hurricane, but that's not part of preparedness...officially. Get ready to hang on to your coconuts!

The work front has been very quiet, almost eerily quiet. Not sure what kind of juggling around will be happening especially on the IT side which affects Tawny and Jeff. Crossing my fingers for sane decisions by peeps on the high end of the food chain but then again the air is rarefied on their elevation and messes with reason. Sigh.

A bright moment was seeing Yummy's proud blog entry for his mom’s website which I have added a link on my AGOL Fascinations: iadmire: Margaret Hamlin. He is such a good son! As for his mom, she’s extremely talented. See for yourself. She paints from photos but mostly from memory on her landscape series. What a fertile and color-filled imagination. She totally rocks.

Another bright moment was that I have managed to wean myself from coffee, the big bastion on the list of things that is bad for me. Those of you who know me know I like it drowned in high-calorie sugar and fattening creamer….several times a day in a 14-oz. cup.

Lately it has been 9 oz. of hot tea with two packets of Splenda and a light hand when shaking the dry creamer into it. My clothes and waistline have been rewarding me, too. Getting back to feeling groovylicious!


Dunno Why I Like It

Raise Some 'Cane

Deflated with New Wheels

Today was my day to myself. My goal is to always try and keep Sundays sacred to me. Got started late on purpose and was on my way to get my nails done when I noticed that my back left tire was low again. I had just put more air in it two weeks ago.

Upon further inspection, I noticed a tear in the tire wall. I knew I had to replace all four soon, but I wasn’t expecting to do that today. This is one of those “no choice” choices if I wanted to avoid a blowout (or worse) on the way to work tomorrow.

Tire Kingdom was close by and the last time I went there ironically enough was the day the London bombings occurred. I had the opportunity that day to speak to an English guy in the waiting room. He was a plethora of info on security there, etc. Let’s just say he has retired friends in their version of the CIA.

My lunch money was in deep jeopardy after the guy at Tire Kingdom gave me a quote of nearly $600 which included four nicer tires, warranties I don’t really understand, an alignment and an oil change. I felt more deflated than my tire. It was 1PM on a Sunday and I didn’t exactly have anyone to ask for some advice at the time so I agreed. It is rare that I resent myself being a super girly-girl and this is one of those times.

About an hour and a half later, I drove off with safer tires. I have to keep that in mind when I think about writing the check for almost $600. The bank will be happily sucking that out midweek from my checking account. Oh, well. Safer tires.

I picked up a few things at my friend Terry’s embroidery business that I had ordered the day before and were ready this afternoon. That made me happier and I also stopped at Target to get some sundry items, but totally skipped getting my nails done. It was near closing time on Sunday for the nail salon.

Talked to Yummy for an hour who has been busy working on his projects and doing a bit of shopping. I’ve been staying out of his way while he is in super creative mode. Can’t mess with the Yummy mojo when it is on fire, you know. Ha!

My sleeping patterns have changed for some reason. I've reset my alarms to different times to fool my body. Let's see how that works. It's weird, I know. Deal with it while I catch up on sleep.

Deflated with New Wheels

Social Butterfly

What a flurry of activity! Just call me Whirling AGOL. Aside from getting back into the swing of things at work and updating my blog with my UK trip, I’ve been a social butterfly.

On Tuesday, I Nan-sat so my aunt and uncle could go to a church function. Entertaining Nan for a couple of hours is always fun. This time I showed her my UK pics that I picked up from Costco. It’s easier to show her those than firing up the laptop and having her see via slideshow. She kept worrying about me not having photo albums to put them in. What a dear!

On Wednesday, I had curry with Kathy at The Taj on Fowler. This was a new place for us and we came the conclusion that hands down this was our new Indian restaurant. The quality and variety of food was much better. She was thrilled to get her English chocolates, too. Apparently, she'd been dreaming about them. She cracks me up!

On Thursday, Kristey brought over Chinese food. We got caught up on each other and we went through the slideshow online for my UK pics. She loved the tulip one in Lewes -- it is her favorite flower!

This morning I ended up at my aunt’s in Brandon instead of my cousin Ida’s house. She changed the schedule at the extreme last minute to come over later. It’s not like she lives around the corner either.

Ida's trip to the Philippines starts this weekend and I wanted to see her and her family. We had some words over the phone. What do you expect from hot tempered chickies? I called my aunt and she invited me over for a couple of hours to cool off. Usually, it is my aunt and cousin Ida who have words and I get to be the mediator. Ha!

Social Butterfly

Tsunami, Mommy!

It's been a full week of being home from England and I am still out of sorts. I spent the day just hanging around the apartment before I needed to get ready and leave to take my aunt out for Mother's Day which is actually tomorrow. My aunt has been my second mother since mine died when I was 11 years old. I honor my aunt as much as I can.

Before I left my apartment, I was able to talk to Yummy who had been recording his dragon explorations with Anton. He sounded very pleased with their adventures and the amount and quality of their recording. Listening to the whole thing again and editing the material are the next steps on this project. It will be great to hear what the final outcome will be.

Don't recall if I mentioned it, but I was able to get some sun while I was in England. There was only one rainy day during my two weeks there. I know how incredibly lucky I was to have such great weather...My island skin soaked up some rays and here's a before and after for proof. Yes, I am a little alarmed because my geisha look has been compromised. Everyone has been complimentary though on my rare change of coloring.


Before England...................................After England

My Aunt Maria wasn't ready yet when I walked in their home; she was just finishing putting dinner on the table for Nan. It was just minutes more before she had transformed herself into diva attire. Sexy mama at 63! She was tickled pink at being treated and when she found out we were having Japanese, she was more pleased.

We arrived at a new place in Brandon called Tsunami which has sushi and hibachi fare. We opted for veggie and shrimp tempura for starters and one California roll to share. Our dinner came with miso soup and mine with side salad, too. The dinners were served too soon so mine was cold by the time I got to it. I had the Hibachi steak stir-fry and my aunt had some Korean noodle dish. This place had some Korean selections, too.

We took home most of our main courses so we could share a dessert which was a frozen lemony mousse thing with two different kinds of berry sauces decorating the plate. Hot green tea and water with lemon were our beverages of choice. Believe me, the last thing these two giggle boxes need is alcohol to spice things up!

My England pics were not ready at Costco to be picked up so I brought the digital camera to show my aunt my trip during our dinner. I had missed her and I was glad to be able to share a meal with just her. She certainly appreciated the time away from my uncle, Nan and the house in general and told me as much. Sometimes it does takes it toll. All that was expected of her was to enjoy herself. No cooking or cleaning up which were big selling points in her book.

Two and half hours later, I took her home and amazingly I wasn't too tired to drive back home. Jet lag has been taking its revenge on me by making me want to sleep all the time. I was only too happy to comply when I got home.

Tsunami, Mommy!

From Home

I wish this jet lag would go away. My boss mentioned how tired I looked yesterday. How lovely. I'm surprised I made it to the post office to mail little thank you's to Yummy and Anton and Anna.

There was a long line at the post office. I tried to buy some regular and international stamps, but I refrained when the postman reminded me that the cost was going up Monday and he didn't have any of the proper domestic Love stamps nor the international ones yet. Grrr.

Random fire inspections were being conducted today in my complex. I had to work from home in case my place was chosen. I couldn't leave Cabal by himself; he might get really spooked and decided to defend his territory. Nice doggie.

Tried killing two birds with one stone by having the office schedule a maintenance person to come and regrout my shower. It is my third term lease here and they owe it to me. The previous workmanship leaves a lot to be desired.

The jury is still out on working from home. It wasn't really feasible for me today. The files I needed were at work and it was too much of a hassle to haul them home. I worked the best that I could.

Around 4:30pm, I threw the towel in on getting the shower redone. I called the office and told them not to come at all if they were somehow on their way. The manager answered and she was surprised at the situation. I called yesterday to schedule and I even confirmed this morning just to make sure and still a no show! She wanted to reschedule, but I told her that it wasn't that easy because I have a dog that has to be chaperoned while work was being completed...Blah blah blah.

I had a movie date with my friend Dianne and her husband Steve that cheered me. The screening for the movie Waitress was tonight. I haven't seen them both in a long time. Dianne would also have the digestive biscuits she requested from me along with some chocolate bars. The movie was entertaining and the actress, Kerry Russell, finally redeemed herself in my eyes. Her recent acting credits were not good at all. Steve treated us to a Mexican dinner afterwards so we could catch up.

Headed home for sleep that has been teasing me. This has got to stop. Whatever happened to my signature four hours? Probably catching some Z's.

From Home

Back to Work

My high school days were back again or at least the feeling of having to go back to school after having the summer break. Today it was back to work, to the daily grind. I barely remembered to decide which route I would take to get there. Did I want to take the highway or did I want to take the long way which may be faster.

The moment I got on the road, I felt I could have used another day off. Yummy had the day off -- it was a bank holiday in the UK. That stung. Between holidays and vacation accruals, the UK just has more days off than the US...Sigh.

My new cube is situated so I could pass by my regular crew and slink in unnoticed. Thank God! I sat my laptop in the docking station at work and started my day. My IM screen is set to go on at start-up and when it did, it was like a fireworks explosion of IM pop-ups. Good Lord. I got in a little after 9am and apparently, there were people waiting to pounce on me. I wasn't even finished answering IM greetings when people started to visit my cube.

If you would like to know how many people would actually miss you, go away for two weeks. People whom I consider acquaintances were coming over, too. After the initial wave, I brought my chocolate goodies and passed them out in my old section. You would've thought I just gave away real gold, they were so tickled.

I stopped to get some hot tea, my new beverage that has been winning over coffee, and was ambushed in the break room. A headache was forming and I hadn't even said hello to my boss yet.

Quickly, before I was further tackled, I made my way to his office and gave him his giant chocolate bar to share with his family. We discussed my trip and promised him a peek at the pics when I got them printed. I told him about Yummy's astonishment of my chocolate purchase and he said he and his French wife, buy as much if not more before they leave France. I felt properly vindicated. Ha!

Tawny was off and I wished she was there to field people for me during lunch. I brought one of the Lean Cuisine's she stocked in my freezer. I didn't want to have to think about lunch and buying something downstairs just seemed like a vile idea.

My headache was not going away, but I managed to be a gracious traveller and answer questions in between brief tellings of my trip. I told them I would tell them more and would send a link to my uploaded pics once I sorted through them. Sleep was calling me, too.

The rest of the day was spent not doing a whole lot of working even with playing catch-up with Bridget, the new girl who had to take the helm after one week of my training her. She had done very well and I was happy I didn't have to clean up too many weird issues.

Sometime during the day, Kristey reminded me via e-mail that it was Myrna's birthday. I quickly called her and invited her to dinner that night. She was thrilled!

I couldn't wait to go home, take care of Cabal and have dinner with Myrna. She is a low maintenance friend. She doesn't demand a lot from me as far as being needy, but I make a point to call her periodically to make sure she is doing okay.

Myrna informed me that she had a new puppy, a miniature terrier named Teddy that her husband had bought her for her birthday. This puppy was so cute and could fit in a sock! It would grow no more than 4 pounds.

Dinner was great especially after I gave her a more comical spin on my trip. She enjoyed seeing the pics in the digital camera and was looking forward to sampling her chocolate gift when she got home...

My bed welcomed me with open arms. Tomorrow was another day.

Back to Work

You Will Be Re-assimilated

If this day just would stop feeling surreal, that would help me in my re-assimilation back to Trampa time and Trampa things. I barely remember details just relevant things like talking to Yummy in the early morning and late afternoon. He's been up to his elbows in paint. His pet project has been painting a selection of walls in his home. I think he has another coat to apply tomorrow...

I couldn't wait to get the length of my nails to get cut in half! Typing was becoming a chore. I felt happier going from a French manicure to a more lively Italian Red.

Armed with newly manicured nails, Brighton-themed tourist mementos and Cadbury and Galaxy chocolate ingots, I drove to my aunt and uncle's home. They had missed me and had been worried for me traveling by myself to England and to visit, in their eyes, a stranger.

Through my pictures, I was able to show them how much fun I had exploring Yummy's section of England. They also saw him as a real person in candid shots scattered through the over 375+ pics I took. The English culture and terrain were very different and I wanted to capture as much as I could.

My aunt was preparing food and didn't get to see all of the photos. Surprisingly, my cousin Ida was dropped off by her husband so she could spend some time with us and to have my aunt alter a dress for her.

During my UK trip, my aunt had a special sit down bathtub installed in the second bathroom so Nan could have a private bath when she felt like it. It was a pretty penny but impressive with the jets installed where your back would be and your legs which will be great for Nan! Three of us were inspecting it and oohing and aahing over it.

Standing to my left was my aunt and standing to my right was my cousin Ida and we were facing the big mirror for some reason after our admiration of the new bathtub. Ida pulls up her shirt to adjust her bra. I get mischievous and pull up my shirt to flash them, but not to be outdone was my aunt who pulled her shirt up and flashed the rest of us! Oh my God -- what a bunch of cuckoos! We laughed so hard.

Ida told my aunt she had the smallest boobs in the battle of the big boob trio in the mirror. My aunt replied that we got our big boobs from her mother, my grandmother Angela.

Before I knew it, we were having a Filipino meal on one side of the table and American on the other. To add to my feeling of surrealism, my aunt had my uncle put on a cassette with folk songs in the Visaya dialect from her childhood. It was to be "fiesta" soon in Lawa-an and she decided we were to have an impromptu celebration of our own.

I left early so I could make my skype date with Yummy. My evening was made early again by my jet lag and I had to make sure I got up for work the next day. Not looking forward to it either.

You Will Be Re-assimilated

AGOL Takes UK: Long Day to Trampa

Has it really been two weeks already? I kept going over my adventures with Yummy as I packed. Sadness was a thin veil over me. Drawing upon inner strength, I repacked my suitcase to bursting. Yummy had to come in and help me close it. My carrying case which was filled on my way over with my stuff was now filled with chocolate. Both bags were heavier and so was my inner being. Time does fly when you're having fun.

Breakfast was strawberries and Greek yogurt. Trying to get a head start on healthier choices, I guess. We didn't really eat bad food these past two weeks. It was just richer than everyday fare, but we walked most of it off, I'm sure.

We hustled to the station to catch a specific train to Gatwick Airport. The train ride conversation is a dull memory, kind of like the other train ride from Gatwick only now I was not nervous riding next to Yummy.

I checked my luggage and had a panic moment when the announcer repeated that it was one bag per passenger and a lady's handbag was considered one bag. Yikes! The British Airways lady employee was very nice. She didn't charge me to check in my carrying case, the one with the precious chocolate! I was advised to stash my purse inside my shopping bag to count as one until after I got through security.

Yummy and I drank some coffee and reminisced until it was an hour before my flight. He accompanied me to just outside the security area. Hugs and kisses before life interrupted. Amazingly, both security checks were a breeze for me.

The flight back was indeed a long day, nine hours more to be exact. I got to watch Chronicles of Narnia, a nice diversion. I had an aisle seat which made the flight that much more interesting with my row mates' restroom visits and being able to watch the plight of the flight attendants. It is a tough job satisfying a big plane full of passengers.

So many thoughts ran through my head, but I tried to squelch them with sleep. I ended up getting chummy with my row mates who were a retired British couple on holiday in St. Petersburg. They had the cutest last name: Affection!

Before I knew it, the plane was landing (with Affection - Ha!). I turned my phone on again for the first time for actual usage. A text message from Tawny appeared letting me know they were in Starbucks and I texted back that the evil had landed.

The trip through the immigration maze was easier going back. Tawny kept texting me to find out where I was and I let her know I was in immigration. This didn't stop her from texting me some more. I told her I was getting my luggage. Minutes later more text messaging asking about my luggage.

As I was passing my final security check, Tawnyia called me. She was confused about the luggage; she had seen on the monitor that my luggage was still in Gatwick. I cut the call short since the security guy was approaching me to move me along and I quickly explained that it was different in international flights and would see her momentarily. Sigh.

Tawny had missed me terribly and it was great to see her and Jeff. They whisked me home so I could drop off my luggage which had precious chocolate waiting to melt in the Florida heat. On the way, I called Yummy to let him know I was back safely in Trampa. It was well after 10pm his time. He was watching footie and had been wondering where I was in my homecoming process...

Tawnyia and Jeff were angels for staying over at my apartment to sit with Cabal. I was comforted that he was well-cared for and loved while I was gone for two weeks. He was happy to see me and couldn't quite believe my homecoming. Spent some time with him before we all made our way to Macaroni Grill for dinner to catch up.

They came back to my apartment for a bit, but Tawnyia was falling asleep and they had to get ready for their St. Augustine trip the next day so off they went. It was just Cabal and me. We reacquainted ourselves. I missed my Pretty Boy Dog. I didn't see any dog as pretty as he is while I was in England. He is just the best doggie ever!

I called my aunt and uncle and let them know I was back before I called their daughter, my cousin Angie, in LA. At some point, I ended the call because I fell asleep while talking to her! My time clock was in a frenzy -- I was longing for sleep. It found me as soon as I lay my head on my pillow...


25 Things I Learned in England:

1. YOU’RE the one who talks funny.


2. Pubs are cool. It’s not just a watering hole. It is a culture, a way of life and where beers taste good…and it is served cold.


3. Hookerella heels….bad idea. You must bring cute walking shoes next time so you can wear more outfits.


4. Appliances there have big scary plugs.


5. Everyone seems to have a garden or a lot of plants.


6. Football (don’t call it soccer) is serious business. Grown manly men cry if their team wins or loses as shown on the “telly”.


7. You don’t have to own or drive a car. They have a great transit system (bus/train).


8. Castles here make Disney’s look like a shack.


9. People do not say “bloody”, "cheerio", “tallyho” and “jolly good” in every conversation.


10. “To Let” signs are not missing the vowel “I”.


11. Not every guy is named Nigel.


12. Mexicans do not cross the pond. Bow out of Mexican restaurants.


13. Chinese peeps are everywhere but the restaurants are not the same in the US either.


14. Watching Asians speak with British accents is weird.


15. Long acrylic nails have no place here unless you can pass yourself off as an Eastern European hooker….You can try Russian or some kind of Asian, too.


16. Food portions are normal, more manageable and no refills on coffee, hot tea and colas. No iced tea on the menus -- eek!


17. It’s not the same English spoken.


18. Restrooms have floor to ceiling doors and you may have to think about what you’re doing since the gadgets are different. God help you if you’re claustrophobic.


19. Smiles are still smiles.


20. Things here are old, some bordering on ancient. Your 50-year old house is NOT “vintage”.


21. The “pretty clock” in London IS Big Ben.


22. Food here tastes great! (Exception: Vile Marmite)


23. Mind the Gap.


24. Chivalry is not dead. Gentlemen still exist. Yummy is a poster child.


25. If you’re American, don’t get drunk and try to negotiate the streets. You WILL be looking the wrong way. Splat will be your new name.

AGOL Takes UK: Long Day to Trampa

AGOL Takes UK: Chocolate & Champagne

My personal and major objective today was a chocolate run. There was no way in heck I was going to land tomorrow without buying some Cadbury and Galaxy chocolates. My ride home from the Trampa airport depended on it!

Waitrose was to be my source for trafficking chocolate to the US. Around a dozen chocolate ingots weighing 400 grams each and packages of other Cadbury and Galaxy varieties plus three oddball packages of McVitie's Digestive Biscuits came to £45 pounds or $90 worth. The AGOL doesn't play around with her chocolate. Friends and family were being gifted with chocolate.

Yes, there is a picture of the treasure, but you will have to go to Yummy's site to see it on the grocery checkout conveyor. Poor thing. He had never seen so much chocolate purchased at one time. Has he ever had an American Halloween? Didn't think so. Even I must admit it was bordering on obscene, but I didn't care. I just had to get it on the plane.

We dropped the chocolate treasures home before going out again to The Lanes to visit Riddle and Finns for lunch. Not risking any choco meltdown. Too much was riding on their safety. Ha!

Yummy had heard good reviews about Riddle and Finns and we had put it on our mental list of places to try a week before. Here was our chance to sample it since dinner at The Saint was still hours away. Seafood here we come.

The entrance was quite nice and the inside simple with white subway tiles on the walls. The dark wood tables were set quite high. Lunch was almost over so we were the only ones inside. Our order was taken right away and the waiter extremely pleasant and personable. He served us slices of bread with little ramekins of smoked mackerel pate, garlic mayonnaise, horseradish, and onion in vinegar with a side scallop shell filled with butter. What a great way to start.

We had ordered the specials scribbled in chalk on the outside sign. Our starters were the same: crab and feta salad. For the main course, Yummy had Haddock and Chips and I tried Poached Brill with Fennel. Downed with wine, everything was delicious!

Walked around a bit before heading home for an energy nap. Tonight required alertness for all the fun to be had...

Anna, Anton and everyone's friend, Brian came to pick us up. Brian was specially invited into town earlier in the week and we were lucky to have him on a Friday. I found out he was flying to Raleigh, North Carolina the next day about 15 minutes after my plane's flight to Trampa.

We visited two pubs before heading for The Saint where our reservations were secured by Yummy. This Party of Five was definitely starting to get really fun. Did I hear sirens? Just kidding.

I won't enumerate the menu, but suffice it to say everything was great. We all had starters, main course and sinful dessert. A bottle of champagne was popped open for our celebration, liquid gold was poured into our glasses garnished with raspberries. It was indeed heavenly. My time here started with champagne and Yummy felt it fitting to end with some more. What a sweetie! Wine came, too.

Smiley friends: Anna & Brian


Yummy & Anton: Best friends doing their impression of The Clash: Fashion Calling.


Getting happy: Anna, Brian and party crasher, Sean.


Sprinkles & Yummy having had too much sun and now getting striped with wine.


Drinking heaven garnished with a raspberry.


There was a surprise -- a party crasher named Sean. His partner had gone off to get drunk pre-celebrating his 40th birthday. We invited him over and gladly he was fun. Another surprise was Anton remembering him from his school days. Sean didn't remember him, but they had mutual friends he recognized. It was a small world. The evening was wearing and we invited Sean along to our next and my last boozer on this trip.

We took cab rides to The Eddy to complete our beer sandwich. This pub and others will have to deal with the smoking ban taking effect July 1, but for tonight it was smokin' in more ways than one. Loud, but recognizable music played when we came in. Beer-thirty was enjoyed by this (now) Party of Six!

Midnight crept in. It was time to walk home for most of us. Hugs all around. These were good people to meet and a blast to hang with...Too much to drink to think seriously about organizing my things. Of course, I can start packing in the morning before I leave. (Gulp!)

AGOL Takes UK: Chocolate & Champagne

AGOL Takes UK: London Day 2

Our second foray into London began with a walk in Trafalgar Square where Nelson's Column and The National Gallery are a hotspot for tourists. I expected more pigeons but I think the city has found a way to keep them from menacing the crowds. A couple of the ones there swooped like pterodactyls near us.

Nelson's Column


Base of the column with "England Expects Every Man Will Do His Duty".


The National Gallery behind Nelson's column on the opposite side of the square.


Mermaid on one of the two fountains in the square.


She has such an arresting face especially with the water spraying on her.


Another view of the pretty clock.


Corner building across the way. The windows atop remind me of portholes.


Yummy took me around Covent Garden, Soho and Chinatown. I loved walking around, enjoying the street performers and shops. We stopped and bought packages of tea from The Tea House. It was a beautiful store with an impressive selections of teas. My chai tea smelled heavenly through the package...

Smart cars are so cute! I told Yummy that he and I would look like grasshoppers driving it with our long legs.


We still had some time before we were to meet Yummy's mum, Margaret and his stepdad, Mason. They were meeting us in the city for drinks and dinner. It was beer-thirty again and I was led to a popular London pub called Salisbury. It was more opulent than any of the other pubs we have visited. I liked the frosted glass window around the front.

Next stop for us was Cafe Apogee for wine with everyone. Mind you, I was very nervous, but I am generally effervescent so I didn't give into shyness. Wine here and the 1/2 pint at the pub didn't hurt either.

My American audience will know what I mean when I describe the following. In Virginia, speaking with a Southern accent is described as genteel, a more refined way. Margaret, Yummy's mum, speaks British English in a very genteel way. She could read stories for hours and I would just be as interested as the first. She's beautiful with alert blue eyes and very soft-spoken, but I can tell there is an impish side.

Mason, Yummy's stepdad, is from California and he didn't speak at all with a trace of a British accent even after being in the country over 20 years. He's very outgoing and very sweet. I enjoyed his company, too. You knew he worshipped his English rose.

I brought them some goodies from Florida, mostly Key Lime Cookies and a box of saltwater taffy that brought a story of Mason's mom when she was still alive.

When Margaret and Mason visited California, they wheeled his mother around in her chair. She was in her 90s, I believe. They bought saltwater taffy, but Mason's mom didn't want to share with her roommates so she proceeded to eat the loot piece by piece leaving a paper trail behind her. When she sat in back of their vehicle, she ate some more and left her candy wrappers around.

By the time they got back, there were only several pieces left which they offered for her to take in, but she declined because she was full of the candy. That was a scream. She was one determined woman!

The weather dictated where we would dine. I had asked Yummy to check the weather online before we left Brighton and it said it would continue to be warm. When we stood in Trafalgar Square, I prayed for the sun to shine through the clouds for warmth. The online forecast was incorrect so the evening became much cooler and breezy.

Yummy and I found ourselves at another Mexican odyssey at Chiquito's around the corner from Cafe Apogee. It had more selections than Los Amigos in Hove. We ordered fajita combos while M&M ordered chicken and beef tacos. Amazingly, it was beer-thirty all around. Good with the food, too. A great time was had by all.

M&M were smart and brought their coats and even offered them to us, but we declined to brave the elements. The cooler temps had us walking a lot faster through the streets to catch the tube and then the train back to Brighton.

At London Victoria station, you have to deposit 20p (pence) to use the restrooms. I have never in my life have had to pay for the necessity. Good thing I wasn't already doing the pee-pee dance because there were some stairs down to navigate . Never a dull moment with my restroom visits.

The train took us to a warmer climes in Brighton...Thank God!

AGOL Takes UK: London Day 2

AGOL Takes UK: Brighton Clear

It was a potpourri of activity today. Fortified with a light breakfast, we set about to look at paint and mill about (still magically sunny) Brighton.

Red Roaster's won Anton and Anna's recommendation for a cup of lava-thick hot chocolate. Yummy cringed when I paired it with a brownie while he had coffee and UK version of flapjacks. In the US, flapjack is slang for pancakes. These were more like a cookie bar or granola bar with the oatmeal on top.

Hot chocolate next to brownie, flapjack and coffee.


There was an emergency glass of water near the hot chocolate in case something went awry...like sugar shock.


Now to work off the chocolate...

On a clear day, you can really see beautiful Brighton!


This is the burnt skeletal remains of what was once called the West Pier. No one has dismantled it and I find that utterly charming. You can even see the remains of the bridge near the the beach, too.


Yummy was jonesing for fish and chips so we stopped by the seaside at lunch. His order had mushy peas. Uh-huh.


Part of our adventures was trying to find a Filipino deli that Anton had seen. I don't know that Filipinos actually have delis, but what do I know? Our first trip up a hill onto Montepelier Road yielded nothing so we went back down the hill near Waitrose. Yummy called Anton again and received better directions. Up the hill we go again where I saw the flag I would recognize anywhere painted on the Filipino Market store sign. I felt great considering how many Chinese stores were around Brighton. My peeps were represented.

Yummy asked me if I would speak Tagalog and I said no. We walked inside the tiny store and was greeted by a friendly (yet highly inquisitive) Filipina named Sheryl. And, yes, I spoke Tagalog -- well, more like Ta-garbage (Tagalog-English). Bought some stinky goodies and headed back down the hill for vegetables that looked like they were grown in Chernobyl from The Taj. This place was another wonder. We spent some quality time here before rounding out the shopping list at Waitrose...

Back home again and it was time to have everything mise en place by the stove. I decided to make lumpia (Filipino eggroll) with homemade sweet and sour sauce, chicken adobo with potatoes (chicken and potatoes in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaf) and pinakbet (veggies in stinky stuff and ginger). All these required a lot of slicing and dicing which Yummy happily watched me do.

I've taught many how to roll lumpia in Filipino cooking classes I have given in the past. I can roll about 50 in one hour. The filling was cooked, drained and cooled enough to assemble. Teaching Yummy how to roll these gave me great pleasure. It felt like a rite of passage. He did very well and I was proud of him. There were too many for tonight's meal so we bundled them in fours so he could have an emergency supply in his freezer.

I asked Yummy to make rice his way which cracks me up, however, it does yield perfectly cooked grains. Won't go into it. I am just spoiled by my rice cooker. It's all good.

When everything was cooked and plated, I held my breath while he tasted everything. I have gone through this many a time with friends. The first bite, I mean. It is either a hit or miss. Yummy had second helpings. He might become more of a "flip" than me at this rate!

AGOL Takes UK: Brighton Clear

AGOL Takes UK: London Day 1

Phenomenal day in London! The weather was sunny and the sights were incredible -- better than any movie.

Rode the train from Brighton Station to London Victoria for almost an hour. Starting to get the hang of inserting the tickets into the slits so I can safely pass through the gates and remember that it gives you the ticket back if you're on a return.

(Train ticket side note: One time Yummy forgot to tell me that when you're ticket is done, it doesn't come back to you which is why it wouldn't come out again. Guess who was panicking? Little details..)

The Victoria and Albert Museum became first on our agenda in London. What sections we were able to mill around in were great. Would've seen more, but portions of the museum were closed because of a worker strike? Something like that. I haven't been to a proper museum in a while so this was exciting. Yummy made sure I got to see the Fashion section which I loved.

Snapshots in front of the building and a plaque commemorating it.



This was in the lobby and I immediately recognized it as Dale Chihuly's work. He is famous for his ceiling work at The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. He's also done numerous installations around the world. Some of his work were just shown in a gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida.


The following are plaster casts of the original.





You can't say you were not warned in the ladies' room.


We decided to skip the Kylie Minogue exhibit (yes, that's right) and peruse the gift shop before lunching at Cafe Daquise. This place served Eastern European food and Yummy made a remark upon entering that I will not repeat. He enjoyed Polish beer and bigo (hunter's stew) and I ate the stuffed cabbage.

AGOL had a rare yet complete blond roots moment... We had just gotten out of the tube and went up the stairs and outside to London proper. I saw this building IMMEDIATELY in front of us and thought -- what a pretty building...pretty clock. Then Yummy reminds me that it is Big Ben. Oh.


Tube sign. Just before you "alight" off the tube, you hear an authoritative male voice intoning "Mind the Gap" (between the train and platform) so much so that you find yourself reciting it repeatedly in your head.


Westminster Abbey. If you do not know this place, you might as well have the aliens pick you up now and agree to have your Earth citizenship revoked. I didn't know it would be so close to the House of Parliament. Pictures inside are prohibited so I have outdoor shots which are just as nice. Inside were place markers in history for royalty, the titled, the decorated and the talent of different eras. It was like a mausoleum surrounding the church portion. You see names like Queen Elizabeth I, Chaucer and Byron. It was a strange feeling to be in the same place that the current queen had her coronation.






We veered towards Downing Street so we could peek at Number 10. Was Blair in? Did he know the AGOL was in the city? The guard box was strategically placed so you don't get a "clear shot" of the door. More accessible than the White House that's for sure. Look what we're guarding. I am not saying anything -- I am just saying.


No, the giant carnival was not in London. This is a permanent installation celebrating the millennium. This is called the Millennium Wheel or British Airways London Eye which has one full revolution of about 30 minutes and is so smooth that you feel no butterflies in your tummy at all riding in the capsule and you get a 360-degree view of London. Passengers can walk around or sit at their leisure.





Sprinkles & Yummy. Some guys just take you to a dinner and a movie. This guy takes you on top of London.




We did the Queen's Walk along the Thames. When we strolled under a bridge, we encountered a man with an accordion playing "Besame Mucho" (Kiss me a lot) and we stopped and kissed. Very romantic moment. It was very Parisian like.


Yummy's Favorite Pub. It is painted black inside, has a fireplace and tiny! You can almost imagine yourself bundled, crunching into snow and ducking in off the side street to get warm by the fire. By this time I was very thirsty and ordered a matching pint with Yummy. Yup, it was cold and delicious. I downed it like a sailor on shore leave. Someone was surprised that a girl was outdrinking him...only on this pint though! I was disappointed; no cheese as advertised on the sign.


Last pic of the day. After a hearty a pint and a half on an empty stomach, it made walking around to catch the tube and train back innaressin let's just say. I forgot about the stairs.


Playing footie (not soccer, ya bloo'y yanks!) tonight was Chelsea v Liverpool. We got to watch some of the game while waiting for Chinese take away in Brighton and then hustled home for overtime. This stuff is serious business. Unfortunately, Yummy's team Chelsea didn't make it further in the finals.

I quickly remembered why I no longer watch sports: I get too involved even as tired as I was from London. I stick to watching golf which Yummy says is a good walk spoiled. Double-bogey. Still an outstanding day!

AGOL Takes UK: London Day 1